stibolt



(No Model.)

QM.. TRAVIS-sv C H. sTIBoLT.I

N0.j292,1f48.

'PIRE IEISGAPBIv Patented Jan'. 15,1884.

. oHAELEs M. TnAvis AND cAsrEE H. sriBoLr, oE enAwEoEDsviLLE,IND.,v

' l NirED STATES *PATENT omer.;

A ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO J.' ROAOH' JOHNSON, OF vSAME PLACE.. A

FIRE-ESCAPE.

sPEcIrrcATroN forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,148, dated January 15, 185'4.

Application flied March 26, 1883. (No model.)

To @ZZ whomz may concrn:

Be it known that we, OHAs. M. TRAVIS and C. H. STIBOLT, of Crawfordsville, in the county of Montgomery, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l shows a view in elevation of a portion of our nre-escape rope at the upper or attaching end thereof with the friction-sleeve in `place ready for use; Fig. 2, a detail perspective view of the friction-sleeve, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal central section of the same applied to the rope as shown in Fig. 1.

rlhe4 object of my invention is to provide an improvement in friction fireescapes; and to this end it consists, principally, in the combination of a rope, formed with a series of swells or enlarged portionsJwit-h tapering ends, with a yielding and pliable sleeve, as hereinafter set forth.

It alsoconsists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinaf` ter described, and specifcallypointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A designates the rope formed with a loop, B, at its upper or attaching end, and with a series of swells, C O, at equal distances from each other. lThese swells are formed in the rope during the process of .y manufacture of the same.

The sleeve D is mafie `of flexible or pliable material, being preferably a soft-rubber tube.

Its internal bore is of a size to readily pass .over the rope as constructed.

Its lower end is provided with a hard ring, E, of hard rubber, wood, metal, or other desired material. This ring flares out from the tube, as shown, and its bore also iiares from that of the tube, yso that the sleeve can pass down over the rope without the possibility of the end of the tube being turned inward by frictional contact with the rope. The sleeve is of sufficient length to afford room for the grasp of both hands of the one .using the escape. Its interior is roughened to increase its frictional hold upon the rope when the sides are pressed in by the grasp of the hands upon the sleeve. The rope is to be made of silk, hemp, cotton, or other suitable material interwoven with fine metallic wire7 vantage.-

and strong enough to bear the Weight of the l heaviest person. The wire interwoven ortwisted in with the fibers forming the rope not only serves to strengthen said rope, but also to give itsolidity and hardness enough to stand great wear and preserve its peculiar shape even during long continued use.

A. rope formed in the manner and of the 6o materials set forth can be made quite small and light in weight, while still having sufficient strength. The loop at the end furnishes ready means for attaching the escape to any articles of furniture in the room, orto a chim- 6 5 loop, and the noose so formed can be placed over 7o or around the object.

rIhe operation of our invention is as follows: lIhe upper or loop end is attached to any fixed object, the rest of the rope being thrown out of the window. The user then grasps the sleeve 7 5 with both hands and slides down the rope, supporting himself from the sleeve and regulating the speed of his descent by increasing or lessening the pressure. of his hands upon the yielding sides of the said sleeve, and so increas- 8O ing or diminishing the amount of friction between its inner roughened surface and the rope., As is obvious, the swells, shaped as shown, enable this friction to be applied to the best ad- Having thus fully set forth the nature of oui invention, what we claim as new isl. In combination with the ropeprovided with a series of enlarged portions at intervals of its length, the sleeve formed of pliable ma- Vterial surrounding and adapted to slide upon the rope, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the rope provided with a lseries of enlarged portions or swells, the 9S sleeve adapted to slide upon said rope, and formed of pliable material with a rigid enlarged portion at its lower end, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with the rope formed of a IOOf :t series of enlarged portions or swells, the plil 6. The lire-escape rope for use with a fricable sleeve formed with interior roughened tional sleeve, made of suitable fibers intersurface, and provided at its lower end with ai woven or twisted with iner metal wires, and 15 hard ring haring outward and downward from formed with a series of enlargements or swell- 5 the sleeve, substantially as shown and deings along its length, substantially as shown scribed. and described.

5. The rope formed with a series of enlarwed portions or swells, in combination with lthe soft-rubber sleeve roughened on its interior :o surface, and provided with u hard ila-ring lower Attest:

end` substantially as and for the purpose set EDGAR XV. STRAIGHT, forth. DAVID A. Rollen. 

